1. Chapter 2 The World of Science
Purpose: Understanding the steps in the pursuit of scientific explanations “knowledge” .

2. SC.7.N.1.5 Describe the methods used in pursuit of scientific explanations as seen in different fields of science such as biology, geology, and physics.
SC.7.N.1.6 Explain that empirical evidence is the cumulative body of observations of a natural phenomenon on which scientific explanations are based.

3. Chapter 2 The World of Science
How do scientist “see” your brain?
How does scientific knowledge develop?
What might the colors of this brain scan mean?

4. Chapter 2 The World Of Science
Why do you think scientists use this kind of image to study the brain?
What other kinds of images like this can scientists use to study parts of the body in the pursuit of scientific explanations?
How is concussion testing an example of gaining scientific knowledge?

5. Chapter 2 The World Of Science
Check Your Understanding – Page 62
Vocabulary skill – use context to determine the meaning of the word(s)
Vocabulary Lessons 1-3– scientific explanation, empirical evidence, opinion, controversy, scientific theory, scientific law

6. Do Now Scientific Laws And Scientific Theories
What is one difference between a theory and a scientific law?
What is a common purpose of a scientific theory and a scientific law?
Sam noticed every time she rolled a ball on a flat surface it did not stop unless she applied a force on it. This happened multiple times. The outcome never changed. Would you classify this as a law or theory? Why?
Do Now
Scientific Laws
And
Scientific
Theories

7. FAULT
COMMON DEFINITION
GEOLOGICAL DEFINITION

8. COLD
COMMON DEFINITION
SCIENTIFIC

9. CELL
COMMON USE
SCIENTIFIC MEANING

10. THEORY
COMMON
SCIENTIFIC

11. LAW
COMMON
SCIENTIFIC

12. Chapter 2 Lesson 1-3: Scientific Explanation, Theories and Laws
What is Scientific Explanation?
What methods do scientists use in the pursuit of knowledge?
Why do we need both theories and laws?
Scientific theories and laws
Top Ten Theories That Were Not True

13. Scientific Theory and Scientific Law
Both Theory and Law
Scientific Law

14. Scientific Theory and Scientific Law
Chemistry and Physics have more of these
Explains how nature works
Biology has more of these
Tested hypothesis
Describes what nature does under certain conditions (usually with a mathematical formula)
Supported by large amount of data
Scientific Theory
Both Theory and Law
Scientific Law
Helps unify a field of study
Can be modified if even 1 peer-reviewed experiment produces data showing disagreement
Widely accepted by a vast majority (if not all) scientists within a discipline

15. Scientific Theory and Scientific Law
(Answer Key)
Both Theory and Law
Scientific Theory
Scientific
Law
1) Tested hypothesis
2) Supported by large amount of data
1) Chemistry and Physics have more of these
1) Biology has more of these
3) Helps unify a field of study
2) Describes what nature does under certain conditions (usually with a mathematical formula)
2) Explains how nature works
4) Can be modified if even 1 peer-reviewed experiment produces data showing disagreement
5) Widely accepted by a vast majority (if not all) scientists within a discipline

16. Scientific Theory and Scientific Law
Why do we need both?

17. Scientific Method
Organized and careful method that scientists use figure things out about nature
Experiment process never really ends
The conclusion (whether it ends in a description of how or a statement of what) can be changed when further experimentation shows changes should be made

18. Scientific Theory and Scientific Law
The field of biology has more scientific theories that result from research.
The fields of chemistry and physics have more scientific laws that result from research.
Cell Theory
Charles’s Law:
V1/T1 = V2/T2
Evolutionary Theory

19. Scientific Theory and Scientific Law
Scientific Theory usually describes a phenomenon seen in nature.
Scientific Law usually explains how a process works under a given set of conditions with a mathematical formula.
BOTH are proven true through continuous experimentation!
New cells form from existing cells
Force is the product of an
object’s mass and acceleration

20. Question: Is this a scientific theory or a scientific law?
Mass can come from energy and energy from mass (E= mc2)
The speed of light in a vacuum is constant and an absolute physical boundary for motion
Is this a scientific theory or a scientific law?
Scientific LAW
Is this a scientific theory or a scientific law?
Part of the THEORY of relativity

21. Is a scientific theory or a scientific law more correct?
Question:
Is a scientific theory or a scientific law more correct?
Trick question! Both are equally proven to be true through continuous experimentation.